Various sports require the use of a glove by the participants to catch a ball during play. A glove is generally a device that fits over the entire hand of an individual so the individual can catch the ball to minimize if not avoid pain, and to assist in grasping the ball. A glove generally comprises a thumb stall and one or more finger stalls such that an individual's thumb and fingers can fit within the stalls. The thumb and finger stalls allow a user to compress, fold, or pinch the glove, similar to the manner in which an individual would close his or her hand around an object. This folding of the glove allows a user to catch a ball inside the glove and prevent it from falling to the ground. To reliably catch a ball with a glove, a user must compress the glove around the ball when the ball is within the pocket of the glove.
One of the problems often associated with gloves, particularly new gloves, is their stiffness and difficulty to close and to compress around a ball. Traditional gloves made of leather may take many weeks to break in, even when frequently used. Gloves made of synthetic materials are usually not quite as stiff, but break-in problems nevertheless remain. Glove stiffness is particularly problematic for younger individuals who do not have sufficient hand strength to compress the glove in its initial stiff state.
Various measures have traditionally been used to speed up the breaking-in process and break down the initial stiffness of a glove. Some traditional techniques include oiling the glove to loosen up the material and placing the glove between a mattress and bed spring, perhaps, even with a ball in the pocket, for a particular duration of time. Still other devices have been developed that maintain a new glove in a closed position around a ball when not in use to assist the break-in process. Although these prior techniques may be able to speed up the break-in process, they require significant amounts of time. During such a break-in time, the force necessary to compress the glove decreases very slowly. Moreover, the problem remains that a user of a new glove cannot immediately and effectively use the glove in competition.
Therefore, there is a need for a glove that includes a closure apparatus to assist a user of the glove to compress or close the glove. There is also a need to minimize the amount of force required to effectively use the glove from the outset. In addition, there is a need for a glove closure apparatus that eliminates the need for additional procedures to be performed to break in the glove.